Recent Stories with tag pearl jam

If 2009 was an unusually nostalgic year in local music for certain wistful Seattle Gen-Xers, 2010 was the opening cymbal crash of an encore. Defunct old favorites reunited. Extant old favorites continued to soar. A tight-knit community that first rocked the world a quarter-century ago grew ever closer, through remembrance of lost friends and the sharing of new music. Here are five 2010 music-related events that tickled those Seattleites who’ve been listening all these years. (Part one here.)

5. Cameron Crowe Shoots Pearl Jam Film

Director Cameron Crowe’s relationship with Pearl Jam goes all the way back to 1991, when he shot Singles in town, casting Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, and Eddie Vedder as members of local rock band Citizen Dick (wink, wink). In 2010, Crowe was shooting the band again, this time to commemorate its 20th anniversary. (He also directed the video for Backspacer single "The Fixer.") As reported in June, Crowe and crew were spotted in Madrona and Capitol Hill, presumably recapturing important locales from the band's past. Details on the film, Pearl Jam Twenty, are hazy, but it will see some sort of release this year. (Just in: said film will be accompanied by a soundtrack and book.) Stay tuned.

4. Pigeonhed Brings Back the Funk

If 2009 was an unusually nostalgic year in local music for certain wistful Seattle Gen-Xers, 2010 was the opening cymbal crash of an encore. Defunct old favorites reunited. Extant old favorites continued to soar. A tight-knit community that first rocked the world a quarter-century ago grew ever closer, through remembrance of lost friends and the sharing of new music. Here are five 2010 music-related events that tickled those Seattleites who’ve been listening all these years. (Part two here.)

10. Pearl Jam Launches Satellite Radio Station
What do you give the fans who have everything (hundreds of official bootlegs, multiple live records, nine studio releases since 1991)? On October 22, the 20th anniversary of the band's first show, Pearl Jam gave its fans the whole sonic shebang, in 24-hour rotation: Pearl Jam Radio. The band's satellite channel (Sirius, 17; XM, 39) not only mixes concert and studio recordings, but gives its cult-status fan family a chance to hear previously unreleased show tracks (going back to that first gig) and another to commune on fan roundtable show "The All Encompassing Trip." Live and studio recordings from PJ members' other current and defunct projects, including Eddie Vedder's solo work, Temple of the Dog, Mother Love Bone, and Mad Season are gravy. There's no better way to tune in to Pearl Jam's origins and evolution...unless you magically have all of this on vinyl.

9. Soundgarden Issues Telephantasm Retrospective
No one expected a Soundgarden reunion prior to January 1, but most folks knew that a career-spanning best-of box was just a matter of time. On September 28, the latter followed the former, in multiple packages—from simple CD to sly (and savvy) Guitar Hero bonus to limited-pressing vinyl set. The box included all the audio hits, of course, but also some previously unreleased live tracks, 14 music videos, bonus videos, and one (excellent) unearthed song from the Badmotorfinger sessions, "Black Rain." For those who couldn't witness Soundgarden's stage return—and that was pretty much everyone—Telephantasm was a worthy consolation prize.... (more)

Twenty years have passed—today—since Pearl Jam took Seattle’s Off Ramp stage and played as a band for the first time, baritone-throated San Diego surfer Eddie Vedder at the mic.

The band is still together. Playing another Bridge School benefit this weekend, in fact. And yes, you are that old.

To commemorate the date of its inaugural 1990 show and provide further proof that Pearl Jam is its generation’s Rolling Stones, the band will commandeer outer space to unleash a commercial-free, 24/7 stream of tunes: Pearl Jam Radio. Cue the official announcement:

Pearl Jam Radio will launch with a special airing of the band's 10th anniversary concert recorded in Las Vegas on October 22, 2000. The concert will be heard in its entirety on Friday, October 22 at 6:00 pm ET. The first day of Pearl Jam Radio on SIRIUS XM will also feature rarely heard highlights from the band's very first concert performance on October 22, 1990 at Off Ramp Cafe in Seattle, Washington.

In addition to these launch day specials, Pearl Jam Radio will feature archival concerts from throughout the band's celebrated 20-year career, rarities, unreleased material from the band's personal music library and music from the band's side projects, including solo and pre-Pearl Jam music.... (more)

If I'm honest, I usually hate multi-stage festivals. I don't like that you pay for the chance to see a bunch of bands and they all overlap and there's no way you can see them all. I don't enjoy waiting in line while I miss some of those bands.

That said, I still had fun at Bumbershoot on Sunday. Here are a few of my personal highlights.

I started the morning by visiting the Counterculture Comix and Flatstock displays. The Counterculture Comix collection was an impressive array of local comic art. I appreciated the old Rocket covers and Sub Pop cassettes and zines, in particular. Flatstock continues to impress with great poster art from both locals and out-of-towners.

Hey Marseilles drew a substantial crowd (the singer remarked that it was an "unnecessarily significant number" of audience members) and delighted fans with their feel-good orchestral pop. They've just gone national with their record, and I think fans of Death Cab or The Decemberists will be pleased with their multi-instrumental approach to songwriting. They sounded great at the festival and were the highlight of the early shows for me.

As a member of the press, I could not pass up the opportunity to get in to the Hole End Session. I waited in the requisite line with my press peers (Rolling Stone Brazil, for example!) and we made our way up the back stairs to a room in McCaw Hall to witness the crazy. We were not disappointed.

Courtney did play a few songs, but she also talked. For what seemed like hours, she rambled on and on in random directions, often changing thought in the middle of sentences. She mentioned she might not play later in the evening because of a death threat, she went on a strange rant about Jonathan Poneman, the founder of Sub Pop, and then about how her song "Samantha" was written to be as bad-ass as Trent Reznor's songs, even though she forgot some of the lyrics as she sang it. The End Session was difficult to watch and hilarious at the same time. (Sort of like Love's life, I'm sure.) She went on to chat with Charles Cross (who is working on the Kurt Cobain biopic) about cast members, mentioned how she remembers Cobain's "peen," and then she and current Hole guitarist Micko Larkin did a cover of Pearl Jam's "Jeremy." Since I want to share that misery with you, here's a video.... (more)

You've heard that Eat Pray Love, the August 13 film adaptation of a memoir by the same name, stars the ever-gorgeous Julia Roberts. And that it's about eating and loving and stuff. But did you know the soundtrack (out now) features two songs by Eddie Vedder? That one of them, "Better Days," is a new track penned for the film by the Pearl Jam frontman? Like his mellow, soaring songs for Into the Wild, this one pairs well with Roberts' character's apparent quest for self-definition:

You've also heard about Soundgarden reuniting earlier this year, yes? Well, they showed Chicago how a rock reunion is done last weekend. Tearing through a heavy set of hits ("Spoonman," "Outshined," "Black Hole Sun") and old-school fan favorites ("Flower," "Get On The Snake," "Slaves & Bulldozers") at the Vic Theatre and Lollapalooza (video below), the band proved that they've lost nothing in the intervening years (unlike Stone Temple Pilots and others). No future shows have been announced...yet.... (more)

So there's your taste of how the new Brad record, Best Friends?, sounds and what the band thinks about it, courtesy of shaggy guitarist Stone Gossard, drummer Regan Hagar, and frontman Shawn Smith. It drops on Pearl Jam's Monkeywrench label, half a dozen years after it was recorded, on August 10. (Yes, it was worth the wait.)

More welcome news from the on-again, off-again band: A High Dive record release show on the day it's issued, and an in-store gig at Queen Anne's Easy Street Records two days later. And, for an appetizer, why not tune in to KEXP on August 4 (at noon) to hear a live studio performance?

There's no telling how long Brad will keep the live shows going—due partially to PJ's success, Brad has never been a full-time gig—so catch them while you can. And pick up the new record to show Shawn, Regan, and Stone you want them to continue making time to make new music.

It's week-old news, but I'd be remiss not to relate Pearl Jam's latest philanthropic charge, Oceans, an aptly-named, regrettably necessary effort to "look after" the planet's "one Ocean for everyone and everything." The band launched a new page, http://pearljam.com/oceans/, which includes eleven ways to help our singular sea survive ungodly tragedies, provide a healthy environment for life, and more. That reverent video, for H2O-appropriate Backspacer track "Amongst The Waves," tops the page. Watch it again. And again. On your i-device. Proceeds (via iTunes download) benefit Conservation International's Ocean Campaign.

As usual, Pearl Jam’s tour schedule is as serious as its activism, and the band is currently in Europe, close to wrapping a multi-week stint. And while you were enjoying rain-soaked fireworks, they were playing the Werchter Festival in Werchter, Belgium—where old-school colleague Dave Grohl joined the band for a blazing, encore-ending cover of "Kick Out The Jams."... (more)

If you've ever hummed a Malfunkshun, Mother Love Bone, or Pearl Jam tune, you owe it to yourself to grab a copy of Malfunkshun: The Andrew Wood Story when it's released on DVD later this year. (As you do if you've ever abused a substance, played a KISS record, plucked a guitar, or appreciate music in the least.) The touching documentary first played in Seattle via SIFF five years ago; it will finally get its available-to-the-masses due in August.

To celebrate the release, director Scot Barbour, Malfunkshun guitarist (and Andy's brother) Kevin Wood, and his mother, Toni Wood, presented the film at the new Hard Rock Cafe last Friday. And then Kevin, vocalists Shawn Smith and Tom Mick, uber-producer Jack Endino, and several other old friends and colleagues briefly recalled Andy's talents and lovingly played his "love rock" tunes—along with some new ones.

Malfunkshun captivated a sit-down crowd (peppered with visitors from Bainbridge, where the band formed 30 years ago) while the restaurant chain's logo bounded around TV screens all around its airy second floor. And the doc's heavy subject matter—the short, drug-fueled life of a talented vocalist and musician and the much shorter life of his two bands, Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone—elicited tears from family members and fans alike.... (more)

Fans of rock poster art, take notice: This Sunday, you can ogle gig sheets, meet poster artists, and buy fiber wares at the Showbox (at the Market). It's sponsored by Pearl Jam's Ten Club fan organization, and will prominently feature "poster highlights" from the band's near-20-year touring history, but the Rock N' Art Poster Convention will include non-PJ works by accomplished print masterminds as well.

This unique event runs 1-5 p.m. and is free to the public. (Ten Clubbers get 30-minute early dibs on whatever "hard-to-find" stuff is for sale and whoever's there to meet.) Artists scheduled to be in the building: ACORN, Ames Bros., Brad Klausen, Brian Methe, Dan Stiles, Frida Clements, Geoff Peveto, GIGART, Guy Burwell, Jeff Kleinsmith, Jeff Soto, Jesse LeDoux, Justin Hampton, LMK, Mark 5, Marq Spusta, Maxx242, Munk One, and Nat Damm.

Easy Street Records owner Matt Vaughan will also be at the venue, selling audio treasures. "From their collection of rare, vinyl records," no less.

You don't have to know offset from silkscreen or Emek from Kozik. (I don't.) Just bring your eyeballs and your tubes, dudes.

Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter at McCaw Hall

There were a couple things I knew going in to the Conan O'Brien show Sunday night. It was at McCaw Hall, Conan would be there, and...that's about it. (Sunday also just happened to be Conan's birthday!) Not a lot was said about the show, and no one knew who the guests would be. Would he set it up like a talk show? Would he ride a unicycle for 90 minutes?

It turned out to be an interesting mix, more like a variety act than a comedy tour. There's been some positive and negative talk about the tour, but if you're a huge fan of his talk show, then you probably would have had a fantastic time. The show's opening act, Reggie Watts (formerly of Seattle and currently of Maktub), did a great job of working up the crowd and getting them ready for 90 minutes of hot Coco action. He brought on a lot of laughs with his great mix of electronic music, dirty jokes, and wacky lyrics. The Seattle-specific call-outs really perked up the audience as well as his dazzling voice. 

And then on came Conan with a bang, kicking off with a two-minute standing ovation by the awaiting audience. He started with a pretty typical introduction, talking about the tour and its purpose, with quite a bit of the complaints that we've gotten used to hearing from the ex-NBC host over the last three months. The Seattle crowd ate it up, and it must have felt good to have that many people behind him. Guests that joined the comedian onstage included his sidekick Andy Richter, one of his writers, Deon Cole, who did a short stand-up routine, La Bamba and his "Big Band," and that night's special music guest Dave Matthews.... (more)

If the enigmatic Andrew Wood hadn’t died on this day in 1990, Seattle’s world-dominating grunge phenomenon, ironically, might not have been so big. The Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone frontman’s latter, glam-leaning band was poised for stardom when he passed—at a time when the sound that would define a generation was still defining itself. Check them out.

Had he lived, there would have been no Temple of the Dog (formed by MLB members and Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell). There would have been no Pearl Jam (formed by MLB members and a San Diego gas station attendant named Eddie Vedder). Grunge “fashion,” if it came to exist, might have meant loud colors and white face paint.

And everyone who knew Andy or knows of him would trade all that rose from his void for the living man himself.

As you raise your glass this Friday night, toast the Man of Golden Words. Not that he’ll hear; he’s having too much fun romping around Olympus.

Yep, Pearl Jam performed two Backspacer songs—one soft, one hard—on this weekend's Saturday Night Live. But the band’s most memorable appearance didn't involve music at all...unless you count the eerie Twilight Zone theme.

The jump-and-getcha parody (riffing on an original episode starring William Shatner, more creepily executed in the 1983 film) was the non-Jerry Seinfeld highlight of the show. Even those who don't care for Pearl Jam (ears burning, Michael Buble fans?) have to laugh at that random silliness. Sadly for Jude Law, there wasn't much more to chuckle about in this episode.

Here's PJ performing "Just Breathe":

And "Unthought Known":

Live from New York, it's another Saturday night with Pearl Jam. Tune into Saturday Night Live this evening to see Jude Law play funny and Seattle’s reigning rock band play two tunes from their latest album, Backspacer. Giddily retweeted clues suggest Pearl Jam will play the gorgeous "Just Breathe" and chunky-riffed "Force Of Nature." (Wouldn't it be cool, though, if they surprised everyone with a cut from the forthcoming—probably—Backspacer-session EP?) Cross your fingers for a skit that has the real Eddie Vedder trading verses with Bill Hader's EV.... (more)

Okay, you donated $10 via text message. You called into the Hope for Haiti telethon and, thirty minutes later, gave a woman who wasn't Julia Roberts your debit card number. You're feeling pretty good about your efforts. As you should. So why not reward yourself by giving more—and enjoying some great tunes in the process? Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder and Mike McCready, along with a host of local musicians, can help you with that.

For under a buck, you can score Vedder's beautiful rendition of The Boss' "My City of Ruins," performed last month for the latter's Kennedy Center Honors ceremony. (Proceeds benefit Artists for Peace and Justice Haiti Relief.) Springsteen's inspiring ode to Asbury Park, New Jersey ("Rise up!") has new, internationally apt meaning now. Vedder's take is faithful to the original while also a close sonic cousin to his Into the Wild work and the tear duct-punching "Just Breathe" from Pearl Jam's Backspacer. One dollar. One amazing song. One way to help your fellow human beings rise from tragedy.

Another way: buy tickets to next month's "Hootenanny for Haiti." The details:

Showbox and Seattle Theatre Group (STG) present “A Hootenanny For Haiti” at Showbox at the Market on Sunday, February 28th at 7:30pm.

Duff McKagan, Mike McCready, Kim Virant, Kristen Ward, Kim Warnick, Mark Pickerel, Star Anna, Chris Friel, Gary Westlake, Jeff Rouse, Justin Davis, Ty Bailie and friends perform together in an intimate setting to support the Haiti relief efforts of Partners in Health (www.pih.org).

“A Hootenanny For Haiti” is possible by the generous donations of the artists and venue with 100% of the ticket price going to Partners in Health.

That's right, this is a night with members of PJ; McKagan's Loaded; McCready's first band, Shadow; UFO tribute band Flight to Mars; the Fastbacks; etc. It's an eclectic and insanely talented mix of artists—and I wouldn't be surprised if "and friends" included the likes of Stone Gossard and Tim DiJulio. All for $15 donated bucks.

There are other local music-related outlets for Haiti support. They deserve your patronage, too. But will they rock you like these?

A great international tragedy has unfolded this week. Of course I refer to the tribulations of Conan O'Brien, who may soon cruelly be forced to go from making an exorbitant amount of money to host a talk show on one national television network, to making an exorbitant amount of money to host a talk show on a different national television network. I have lost much sleep over this indignation. Oooh, Jay Leno, you make me SO MAD!

Image from a tee Rainn Wilson's auctioning off

Then there's this Haiti earthquake. Thousands suffer from lack of food, clean water, and medical treatment after the quake, hundreds more are buried under rubble. Many local organizations large and small are doing what they can to support the relief effort. Thought it might be worth showing who's doing what, bless them. This is not an exhaustive list, I certainly don't intend to exclude anyone, so if you know of any other events/contributions/whatever, please add them in the comments.

Of course, as an intelligent person, you will know that the best thing you can do, even better than reading this post, is to donate what you can right now. The Mobile Giving Foundation of Bellevue has created this list of organizations you can donate to from your phone. Okay, here's the promised list:

Microsoft: Has donated $1.25M in cash and in-kind support.

Amazon: Put a Haiti donations message and link on their home page.

Pearl Jam: Has created a suggested list of organizations to donate to.

Rainn Wilson: Is auctioning off memorabilia from The Office to support a favorite organization, Planting Peace.

Seattle Symphony: Will accept donations for Haiti relief at two upcoming community concerts.

Liberty on Capitol Hill: Buy their "Help Haiti" drink for $6, 100% of proceeds go to Haiti relief.... (more)

If you grew up when grunge blew up—in the Northwest or unfortunately far away, like me—you probably felt a few tugs at your heartstrings via your eardrums (and eyeballs) this year. Maybe what you heard gave you a little thrill. Maybe it pissed you off. Either way, it was a fine year for remembering and reliving Seattle’s flannel-rock heyday. Here's the most compelling (second half of the) evidence. (Check out items 10-6 in Part 1 here.)

5. Mudhoney plays the West Seattle streets

Grunge's elder statesmen could have passed on playing under a tent on SW Alaska Street. They've toured all over the planet—since 1988—after all. But Mudhoney embraced its neighborhood roots (frontman Mark Arm and former bassist Matt Lukin are residents), and West Seattle Summer Fest attendees were given a (free) sonic treat not soon forgotten.

Introduced by then-King County Exec candidate Dow Constantine (who apparently knows Arm, among other musicians, from the scene's early days), the always-full-throttle band played a 75-minute set to a delighted sea of friends and families. Thirty- and forty-something fans danced with kids on their shoulders. Younger people crowdsurfed—courteously, if that's possible. In the street. While Mudhoney brought it. It was an experience, I believe, nearing what the church folks call "fellowship."

4. Pearl Jam returns home to KeyArena

It's become a tradition of sorts: Pearl Jam executes a tour without playing Seattle. (The Gorge doesn't count.) Then, when the city's feeling most neglected, the greatest band around gives us two incredible nights at KeyArena. This time, four years had passed and new factors played into the band's shows and Eddie Vedder's banter. New president. No basketball team. New album. The fresh enthusiasm and optimism found on that record, Backspacer, fired up both September shows, making each (rarity, fan favorite, and big hit-boasting) two-hour night yet another standout event. Hope the wait is shorter this time.

3. Nirvana’s records, Reading show get special treatment

Nirvana would have marked its 20th year in 2009 had things gone well for Kurt Cobain and the trio stayed together. (The odds weren't good.) Because of that, the band was remembered this year more than in many years past. Sub Pop reissued Nirvana's debut, Bleach, on 180g white vinyl and CD on November 3. (Both versions featured a previously unearthed 1990 Portland show.) On the same day, Geffen released the band's legendary 1992 Reading Festival performance on vinyl, CD, and DVD. A month later, Nevermind, In Utero, and the MTV Unplugged record were given the limited-run 180g treatment. That much-hyped Reading set, finally available for all to see, lived up to its praise; Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl were truly amazing—and obviously feeling it—that night. You have to believe there could have been many more like it.

2. Chris Cornell joins Pearl Jam for Temple of the Dog reunion

It was just for one song, "Hunger Strike," but when Chris Cornell joined Pearl Jam on LA's Gibson Amphitheater stage in October, Temple of the Dog was back. Formed in 1990 as a reaction to Mother Love Bone frontman Andy Wood's death, the band included Cornell and all of Pearl Jam's current members. (Drummer Matt Cameron was with Soundgarden at the time.) Temple of the Dog existed only briefly, putting out just one self-titled record in 1991. This four-minute alignment was the first since all the guys joined for two songs in 2003. When will it happen again?... (more)

If you grew up when grunge blew up—in the Northwest or unfortunately far away, like me—you probably felt a few tugs at your heartstrings via your eardrums (and eyeballs) this year. Maybe what you heard gave you a little thrill. Maybe it pissed you off. Either way, it was a fine year for remembering and reliving Seattle’s flannel-rock heyday. Here's the most compelling (first half of the) evidence.

10. News flash: Satchel is back!

Mid-year, founding members Shawn Smith and Regan Hagar both said Satchel was long-gone history. A reunion for the melodic rock band, defunct since 1997, was admittedly an old-school fan's sentimental wish. Or was it? By fall, Smith was tweeting hints that he and former Satchel cohorts (drummer Hagar and guitarist John Hoag) were playing together again. Then Smith's site boasted an official reunion, fresh tunes, and a new studio record (Heartache and Honey, appropriately). And finally, this belated Christmas Twitter-gift from Smith on the 28th: "Satchel confirmed, Feb. 18th 2010 at The Crocodile in Seattle." Awesome. I so want to believe I helped make this happen.

9. Pearl Jam’s Ten turns 18, gets deluxe reissue

The first step in a promised 2011 celebration of 20 years of music, the reissue of Pearl Jam's big-time debut was a doozy. Multiple packages boasting multiple music formats (viva la vinyl!) and replicated grunge-era memorabilia sated hardcore fans while a complete crisp, Vedder-vocal-boosting new mix from producer Brendan O'Brien pleased everyone. By clearing up the hitherto unnoticed echo effects and cloudy fuzz, O'Brien made a classic rock album sound even classic-er. Look for similar reissues of Pearl Jam's successive records in the coming years.

8. Grunge books recount the era's look and feel

Rock journalist Greg Prato put together the most comprehensive and fascinating account of Seattle's global musical domination with spring's Grunge Is Dead: The Oral History of Seattle Rock Music. The book's so good because the tales are told by the people who lived them, before and after the term "grunge" became synonymous with local rock: producers (Jack Endino), concert-goers, girlfriends (Tracy Marander), label owners (Pavitt and Poneman), roadies, managers (Susan Silver), and band members (Mark Arm, Jerry Cantrell, Kathleen Hanna, Mark Pickerel, Kim Thayill, Eddie Vedder...). You'll learn about the iconic (and forgotten) bands of the era, their members' personal struggles, and the clubs that hosted their genre-founding awesomeness.

Grunge isn't as must-have a book, but it's an honest, telling document of that time. Half street-punk album and half band portrait, Michael Lavine's photo book captures the souls of the people who made the music and of those who ate it up—or fashionably rejected it, preferring those bands' pure punk and metal predecessors. (Lavine was a Sub Pop-sanctioned photographer at the time. Cha-ching!) Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore adds some introductory color (and amusing ain't-I-cool lyricism). It's a super look back; the release party, featuring Tad Doyle's Brotherhood of the Sonic Cloth and Mudhoney, was even better.... (more)

"As a thank you to the brave men and women that serve and protect us everyday," KISW put together a storied local rock lineup for tonight's "KISW Salutes the Shield" show at Snoqualmie Casino. One $20 ticket will get you in for Duff McKagan's Loaded, an acoustic set from Queensryche, and a special appearance by Pearl Jam/Flight to Mars/Shadow guitar virtuoso Mike McCready. Here's the man killing (and singing!) Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Child." (Pardon the crappy visuals; I'm no pro.)

Get there early to bid on "autographed music and sports memorabilia." You won't be the only one benefiting from the riffs and swag, of course. All proceeds will benefit the Lakewood Police Independent Guild. That's the best part.

The second single off Pearl Jam's new Backspacer album is a 180 from the first. Where (Grammy-nominated) "The Fixer" kicked our ass with seemingly uplifting verses—it's actually a cynical take on how men swear they can "fix" anything—and roaring riffs, "Just Breathe" soothes with its reflective, melancholic words, acoustic guitar, and string fills. Exhibit A:

That's PJ recently performing the song for Austin City Limits. Eddie's still got that intense, soul-bruising delivery, even when reserved. Stone, Jeff, Mike, and Matt still have that classic rock intensity, even when unplugged. Dare your lacrimal glands to stay dry. And your larynx to stay still.

Fresh from Pearl Jam's official YouTube channel, the band's guitarist (and friends, including drummer Josh Freese) lovingly and face-contortingly covers Rick Astley's classic, meme-spawning (and iPhone worming) hit.

How can you not love that? Only thing missing is Gossard standing up and shaking those hips and fists. And I'm glad that's missing. (Hat tip to Sound on the Sound.)

Sixteen years ago today, Pearl Jam's follow-up to their 1991 hit Ten was released. The sophomore album, untitled in its initial run but unofficially named Vs., was an instant megahit. This "supremely odd" MTV-unearthed promo video probably had nothing to do with it.

Turn your radio dial to 99.9 or 107.7 at lunch today and you’ll hear Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Jeff Ament, and Matt Cameron discuss Pearl Jam’s evolving creative process.

Never before have Pearl Jam fans had such an up-close, in-depth look at what goes on behind the scenes when Ed, Jeff, Matt, Mike and Stone are in the studio and on the road. Listen October 13th at noon and hear songs from the new Pearl Jam album, "Backspacer," and exclusive live material from Pearl Jam's summer tour last year. Plus, we'll take an inside look at the writing of the new songs on "Backspacer" and the making of the new album itself.

The band’s 60-minute airwaves assault is more than a plug for their new record, of course. The one-off show—and a related limited-edition t-shirt—will benefit the country’s leading hunger-relief charity, Feeding America. The organization expects proceeds to “translate to roughly 210,000 meals nationwide.” (The band donated $1 per ticket... (more)

A couple of old friends joined Pearl Jam at LA's Gibson Amphitheater last week, one after the other, for the last two songs of PJ's second encore.

Chris Cornell's appearance made for an impromptu Temple of the Dog reunion. "Hunger Strike," ladies and gentlemen.

Jerry Cantrell's made for an Alice in Chains-y "Alive" solo.

Insert superlatives here. And jealousy-tinged expletives. Maybe next time, Seattle. 'Til then, it's bootlegs for us.

Last Thursday, two days after Pearl Jam killed two nights at KeyArena, a reborn Alice in Chains did the same at the Moore Theatre. (Sadly, I missed it.) The like-old-times local show was just one stop on the band's first tour to support new music since 1993. Alice's heavy-as-ever new record, Black Gives Way to Blue, is released tomorrow.

The recent resurgence of Alice in Chains has been a contentious development for some nostalgic locals. The issue: Alice is continuing without its original enigmatic soul, the late Layne Staley. One writer, after catching the band's "secret" EMP acoustic set last month—happily, I made it—ditched the post-show Black Gives Way listening party because a Staley-less AIC challenged her constitution.

Look: Outright dismissal of this band's new and future musical output is stupid.

Yes, there's a new face (and much bigger hair) behind the mic that was once Staley's, but William DuVall isn't stepping right into the beloved former singer's shoes. Coincidentally or not, his vocal range is much like Staley's, though it has a signature nasal quality that sets it apart. And DuVall's tone complements co-frontman Jerry Cantrell's, creating vocal harmonies—always Alice's trademark—that beg you to sing along...and haunt your mind later. But Cantrell, drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Inez didn't invite DuVall into the fold to channel Staley. On the contrary, Cantrell honors his late cohort at every opportunity, still seeing Layne's absence as a regrettable, tangible void.

From the band's blog:

"The encore in Seattle began with Jerry coming out alone. A spotlight shined down on a stool, and Jerry sat down on another stool next to the empty one....I was wondering why our lighting guy didn’t take the spotlight off of the other stool and put it on Jerry, but then it dawned on me. Jerry played "Black Gives Way To Blue" by himself as the spotlight lit up the empty stool with a mic stand in front of it."

I too had been dubious about Alice in Chains reforming and revisiting the music given so much beauty and gravitas by Layne Staley. But my concerns vanished when I met Layne's brother, Eric, at that EMP show. When I noted that his presence said much about how he felt about Alice's continued existence, Eric said, "Jerry and the guys have been very respectful. They waited long enough." And what did he think of the news that the new record's title track, a tribute to Layne, featured Elton John vocals and piano? "Even my kids were impressed with that." Not only was it a pleasure to meet Eric—a very nice, gracious, obviously still heartbroken guy—but it allowed me to wholeheartedly appreciate and respect the show and new music that followed.

I hope other uncertain fans will do the same with Black Gives Way to Blue.

Easy Street Records' Queen Anne location is hosting a listening party and midnight sale of the record tonight. The album will also be available (as will liquor) at West Seattle's Feedback Lounge. Add Alice-related prizes to the music, videos, and fan fraternization, and it will be one fine night to both reflect back and look forward.

Some digits you may or may not have added up after witnessing—or regrettably only hearing about—one or both of this week's legend-building Pearl Jam shows:

0 Beers allowed in KeyArena's bowl. Signs at all lower-level entrances proclaimed the venue's dryness. The irony of this wasn't lost on Eddie Vedder. Between encores on night two, he pointed out that when the Key was actually used as a sports arena, alcohol could be consumed anywhere. He recalled being in the audience for a Paul McCartney show, frustrated that the authorities apparently worried that alcohol and "All You Need is Love" was a dangerous combo.

1 Cigarettes lit and quickly puffed by Vedder during an extended PJ jam each night. Also the number of songs played from the band's early '00s Binaural ("Insignificance") and Riot Act ("Save You") records.

2 Eyes exposed on both nights by the normally bespectacled Stone Gossard. The guitarist's usual tight haircut was also eschewed for a late-'80s Steve Turner-style shaggy 'do. Check the cover of... (more)